Quicksand
by WhoJackman
Summary: Tulie - It was going so well until he made a huge error of judgement.
1. Chapter 1

**Quicksand – Chapter 1**

_Tim was warm, overly so. His legs and stomach were sticky with the heat of the bed. A cocoon of warm air was swelling around him like a steaming cloud. This was when summer wasn't the greatest season, a blight on a morning where a sleep in would be preferred. He drew his left calf away from his right thigh and they squelched against one another. Not a particularly pleasant sensation as it felt like his skin was constricting in the swelter, sweat was present but he wasn't wet. It was frustrating. He groaned. He reached out for her, to touch the softness of her hair, the smooth contours of her form but his arms met no resistance. She was probably in the shower freeing herself from the confines of the heat._

_The world was black as it was too early to open his eyes. He could feel the light tickling his eye lids, trying to tease them open. Orange blurs raced across the inside of his eyelids, daring him to open them. He was a stubborn son of a gun, they were staying shut. He kicked his legs, trying to generate some air flow beneath the sheets. It didn't work so he kicked the sheets away entirely, worming his head further into the pillow. She would join him again soon, he would press his warm body against her cool, slippery one and he would get hot and cool all at the same time. _

_It was no use. Sweat was pooling at his nape, slithering into the hair that hung there. The weight of his sodden hair was unbearable. He was too hot and sleeping in wasn't going to provide any relief. He swiftly turned using the muscles that entwined the core of his body. He raised his arms above his head and looked at the ceiling. It was freshly painted, not blotchy. He sat up immediately. This wasn't his room. His eyes wildly searched the room looking for something familiar, something that would say that he hadn't screwed himself or someone else. He erratically grabbed at the sheet, covering his naked form for modesty. This was the first time in history he could remember feeling the need to cover himself but the situation was bad. The walls of the room were pink, that light pink that was more white than pink. The kind of hue that made dreaded chills sprint down his back as his stomach contracted. Worse still was his feet, they were placed in thickly piled, pink carpet. Almost shag. Against the back of his calves were frills, lots of frothy white frills that screamed high maintenance. Where was Julie? And what the hell was he doing in this bedroom?_

_Julie was going to kill him, bury him, dig him up, decapitate him and then burn him for good measure. He had been doing so good too. They had been together for a few months, first blush of like and all that. It wasn't love, he'd convinced himself early in their relationship that falling in love with Julie Taylor was both crazy, stupid and beyond his human condition too. He bowed his head in his damp hands and tried to wish away the problem that would cost him dearly. A price he wasn't willing to pay. Julie._

(o) (o) (o)

When Coach Taylor had taken over the team he'd been a little cautious. Sure the man had already been on the coaching staff for awhile but people always changed when power came to them. Coach expected a lot from him and he really hadn't delivered. He was too busy drinking and whoring his way through high school. But the man had been good to him, real good. He'd given him a home when Billy's relationship with Jackie had become too much to bear.

Living with the Taylors was like living in a cookie cutter fantasy. There was the crotchety father with the wild hair, the loving mother with plenty of attitude, the beautiful daughter and the weirdly cute baby. They were like one of those pictures that were always inside the photo frames until you inserted you own. But Tim hadn't wanted to insert his own family, he wanted theirs.

He'd known Julie. She was the blonde in the cafeteria always leaning over a book, her hair spilling out over her back and the table. She was the girl who'd given her dad a near on heart attack when she started dating the QB, who everyone knew would be too gutless to do anything. Truth be told, he really hadn't registered her existence at all until he moved in with her family. Even then she was quiet. He'd seen her firing on all cylinders though, stomping around, yelling at her parents to back off. He envied her that, her parents actually gave a rat's ass. But he liked her fire, before he hadn't really thought she had it in her.

For a short while he'd been her sort-of-brother and he liked it. He could have done without chasing off that Riley dude and the subsequent booting from the Taylor house but he'd liked other things; talking to her on the way home from school, snatching her fries at the Alamo Freeze, shielding her from the gazes of Matt Saracen. He knew she had flaws, the way he treated Matt for one. But who was he to judge? He'd treated girls like crap for years.

Did he resent her for not telling her father the truth? That she was drunk and he'd just plonked her on the bed? Hell no. She'd done what anyone would do, he was expendable. Well he was until she couldn't bear the unfairness of it all and 'fessed up. He knew she'd do it eventually. It would have been better had she done it before the many stair runs, laps and push ups but he could take it in his stride. He'd earned her respect and her father's too. That was valuable to him, which shocked him to the core. This girl with the sweeping blonde hair had endeared herself to him, just as little Gracie had. He had a family. Not really, but he knew what it was like to have one now, to experience it, to be included. All the Taylors had endeared themselves to him.

Once he was back in with Billy his life seemed to straighten out, he settled down and found the groove. He found himself looking to Julie as an example. He'd seen her in the library studying as her parents attended departmental meetings so he found himself joining her. For protection he had told her. She had screwed up her nose and asked –

"Protection, from what?"

"From the big bad wolves of Dillon High." He had smiled wolfishly at her and she snorted seeing the irony in the situation. She had punched him in the shoulder, like a sister would, and turned her attention to her homework. He did the same and before long, it was their routine.

Sitting next to each other, heads both bent over books, their attention fixed on the printed page or their inked words. Coach has smiled approvingly every time he'd come to pick up Jules, as he'd come to think of her. Coach was under the impression that Jules had taken him under her wing, probably to fly him somewhere near the stratosphere of a passing grade.

Tim has become part of their extended family in some sense. He'd even gone over one night when the babysitter had cancelled and the Taylor's were desperate to have a date night.

Sitting on the couch, bobbing Gracie around so she looked more scary than normal he wondered where Jules was.

"You know where she is, don't ya?" he sing-songed to the crazy eyed baby.

She burbled something in return and he brought her into his chest hoping the rhythm of his heartbeat may lull her to sleep. As the baby drifted off to slumber-land, he found himself thinking about Jules. He shook his head, careful not to disturb the infant. He'd found himself wondering about Jules a little more than what he would consider normal. He didn't really think about any girl in his life at all. He had with Lyla but that had just been messed up. Jackie wasn't an issue, he'd been thinking about Beau more. Well she was like a sister, he rationalised. It makes sense that I would wonder about her safety and well being.

"It makes perfect sense, doesn't it baby?" he murmured.

"What does?" a voice near his hair breathed. He looked at the baby incredulous and then realised that Jules was standing behind the couch, her head learning near his own. Her breath tickled the hair framing his ear, she'd heard his question to the bub.

"Nothing." He clammed up, that was freaking embarrassing. Jules sighed, quickly moving around the couch and flopping onto the couch next to him. He braced the baby, willing her not to wake up. "You don't seem surprised to see me here," he wondered.

Jules grinned. "Of course not, guess who recommended you to babysit when I refused to change my plans?" She broke into gales of laughter, holding her stomach beneath crossed arms as if she were trying to restrain the laughter from busting her gut. She didn't have a very attractive laugh. It wasn't a burble or a giggle, it was a loud guffaw that filled the room and churned him up like a tidal wave. When she saw him covering the baby's ears she tried to rein it in, which resulted in a very unladylike snort. That made him crack a smile. Jules Taylor snorts? He quickly got up and she broke into laughter again as she watched him try to walk smoothly to Gracie's room. He laid Gracie gently down in the cot, tucking the soft blanket around her. He could resist the urge to run his forefinger softly down her forehead and nose. Her skin was so soft and fragile. She was so breakable and the Taylor's trusted her with him, Jules had volunteered him. Warmth spread through his chest, this is what trust felt like? He decided he liked it, pressing the tip of the baby's nose quickly as he departed the pink room. He inched out of the door quietly and then broke into a normal gait down the hall to the lounge room.

Jules was still sitting on the couch, her feet had swung up to lay across it. The laughter had subsided and her cheek was burrowing into the back of the couch, her hand on the DVD remote. She lifted her legs as he approached. Long, tight clad legs, so unbelievably straight that he would have known she was a dancer with his eyes closed. He sat down next to her, not even considering the arm chair that was his alternative. As soon as he plunked his ass down, her legs swiftly followed him and spreading over his lap. He was confused. In any other situation he would assume she was hitting on him but she clearly wasn't. She hadn't even glanced at him, her attention resting solely on the movie that had started playing. He recognised the opening refrains as Dazed and Confused, she had good taste.

Tim sat there not knowing to do with his arms. He always knew what to do with his arms, he was Tim Freaking Riggins for fuck's sake. And yet there he sat with his arms glued to his side. After ten minutes he found it mighty uncomfortable and decided to chance resting his hands on her legs. She was impinging on his space after all. She didn't notice. Or he thought she hadn't until she drew her legs back, into her body, so she was in the fetal position. He sighed, thank goodness for that. She made him uncomfortable. A feat not managed by any female in his life.

Tim finally let air reach into his lungs allowing some languidness back into his body. Then he felt some tickling at his thigh and turned. Jules was shimmying into the couch further and tucking her cold toes under his thigh. She sent him a quick wink and then returned her attentions to a young and bloated looking Ben Affleck. She was completely unaffected by him? She was. She wasn't doing any of the normal carrying on he would normally see from the general female populous. He liked it. They were just comfortable. Well she was anyway. It was like she was the Tim Riggins in this situation and he was the self-conscious, uncertain, neurotic girl. With the exception that he wasn't interested in her, right?

**Author's Note**

It's been awhile since I have written and I am finding myself a little self-conscious about my writing. I have no idea where this story is going but hopefully the journey will be a blast.


	2. Chapter 2

**Quicksand – Chapter 2**

_The palms of his hands were scratchy on his eyelids. The rough skin and the calluses rubbed unpleasantly against the thin membrane of skin that sheltered his eyes. That protected him, no matter how fleetingly, from the realisation that he had yet again buggered himself. His head lay heavily into his hands, almost like he could stretch his fingers into his skulls and squeeze his brain. He had cheated on her. He had cheated on Jules. Cheating wasn't new for him but he hadn't thought it was possible. But then his teammates hadn't thought it was possible for him to consume that much beer and tequila either. Well at least that much he could remember. Everything else was blank. _

_Blank. Zero. Nothing. Just like his relationship with Jules was going to be. The first girl to really care about him and he'd done this. She wouldn't react well, she would find out. The gossip in Dillon was too on it's game for it not to worm it's way to her. People had always watched him, waiting for the Riggins boy to screw up. In the past few months that scrutiny had lessened, the townspeople had seen him make some progress. They saw him learn how to make the right decisions, take the right path. He'd made a detour that no one would like._

_Tim would tell her. He owed her that much. He wasn't much for lying. There was no point in any situation but with Jules it was important he be upfront. This wasn't about anyone but Jules and him. She would be angry, he hoped she'd be angry. Maybe hit or kick him, physically release the rage she would inevitably feel. The rage he felt toward himself. Worse would be tears. He would break if she cried. He had seen it before, her arms crossed protectively around her body, her large eyes filling with the biggest tears he'd ever seen. He hoped she would beat him up._

_Sweat was building in his palms and his eyes were overheated. That would be the reason they were feeling weird. He wouldn't cry. Riggins' didn't cry. There were no tears. Just anger. Anger burning through him. Anger directed at the misleading thoughts that had lead him into this situation the night before. He didn't even know who he'd been with. Like the old days. Except now he had a lot more to lose. Not just Jules but his self-respect and some semblance of self-worth. All gone, like a puff of smoke._

_She better not be a freshman._

(o) (o) (o)

Tim had been sitting there on the couch, Julie's frozen toes mooching into his thigh and contentment washing over him. He shook his head, he wasn't into her. She looked at him puzzled, his movements garnering her attention. He gave a smile that only touched one corner of his mouth. Jules raised an eyebrow and returned her attention to the screen. He quickly swung his gaze back to the screen too although he wasn't taking in anything. His palms were face down on his thighs. He would much prefer them to be one hers. Okay, where had that come from? He didn't like her. He didn't think she was attractive and she certainly didn't feel anything for him. Not that she had to, he could get most girls to go along with his plan with a simple come hither look.

His fingers began tapping his thighs independent of him. What was happening to him? Why was he even here? Jules was back and he could go on his merry way.

But, wait, where was she back from?

He didn't need to know.

Yes he did, he was looking after here wasn't he?

It was none of his business.

"Jules, how come you couldn't watch Gracie?" he sounded casual. His normally gruff voice, very gruff indeed. He silently thanked his vocal chords. She made a sound from her throat but didn't look all that interested in what he was asking of her. "Not like you to have a busier social life than me," he joked trying to camouflage the fact that she didn't even have enough need to answer him.

She turned towards him, her eyes a little blurred by tiredness, her focus a little off.

"Sorry Tim, whaddya say?" She mumbled. She was robbing him of any self-respect he had. He sighed.

"Don't worry. I am going to take off. Places to go, ladies to do." He meant it jokingly but as soon as the words left his mouth they sounded harsh. Julie's expression confirmed it. She winced. It wasn't like he was talking about taking advantage of her.

"Tim..." she trailed off, clearly not knowing how to address what he had said. "You sound like the dickhead I went out with tonight," Jules lifted her body up off of the couch, raised her forefinger and pressed it across his lips. "You are better than that. Try not to talk."

She then slapped him playfully across his cheek. So much for tender Julie, he didn't think she actually existed. She reclined back onto the couch her potty mouth now securely closed. Her bottom lip poking out temptingly.

"Who was the toss bag?" he asked feeling oddly protective. He hadn't been familiar with this sensation before he met the Taylor girls but now he wanted to seal them off in a bunker somewhere away from radiation, fertilisers, mean girls and more importantly, men.

She flicked a dismissive hand his way, her eyes back on the television. She had dismissed him without a thought and it made him uncomfortable. He was the one who had done her the favour by babysitting. Where was the freaking gratitude? The big hug with the sigh upon release? The gushing words and pouting lips?

"Okay I will be going then..." he trailed off but she didn't even seem to register his words. He leaned over to get her attention and realised her eyelids were fluttering, a soft rumble emitting from her throat. She snored too? He grabbed her feet and plonked them back onto his thighs, returning his attention to the screen. Deep in thought, the rumble of her sleep became the backing track for some much needed self-examination. Jules Taylor intrigued him and she didn't give two hoots.

(o) (o) (o)

He had woken up having been asleep on the couch. Apparently both he and Jules had become synchronised in their snoring, or so said Coach Taylor. There had been a twinkle in the man's eye so Tim couldn't know for sure whether that was true or not. He had immediately been concerned about the possible "compromising" appearance but Jules had moved her feet under his thigh again. Or he presumed that is what had happened as her feet were almost snuggling between his back and the couch where her parents had come home. Her feet were heat seeking missiles and he hadn't even woken when they were uncomfortably sought the warmth of his body. And yet her feet were still frozen, each toe like a cube of ice.

He had resided with her family long enough to learn some things about each of them. But tonight he had learnt that Jules laughed like a hyena, snored like an old man and had toes like an Eskimo. 

Weirdly it just made him like her more, she was oddly mysterious in terms of women. He thought he had them all figured out. Turns out he was wrong.

Even crazier she slept like the dead. She didn't wake when her parents came home, or when Tim prized her toe-sicles out from behind him, or even when her father picked her up not-so-gently to put her in her bed.

His face might have given him away. An open mouth gape tends to do that.

"She's always been a sound sleeper." Tami mentioned from beside him, a grin on her face at his shocked countenance. "Eric used to be gentler but then we realised that it didn't make a difference."

Tim found himself snorting in amusement.

"Thanks Mrs Coach," he answered her beaming smile and made his way out to his truck. It hadn't been his usual big night out but that didn't mean it hadn't been fun. Now it was time for the sweet distraction of some ladies.

**Author's Note**

Sorry for the wait. I am glad that people responded so positively to the first chapter. This was meant to be longer but this month has been crazy busy and podcasting has taken priority unfortunately. I am doing a few, if you are interested their details are in my profile. Cheers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Quicksand – Chapter 3**

_Tim's head was pounding, sweat was pouring down his forehead and pooling around his eyes. He had been hung over for a good two years of high school but the pain hadn't been this freaking intense. The rustle of the sheet around his waist was too loud, his breathing grated his ear drums and he didn't feel all that with it. But this wasn't suffering, that would come later. Worse yet? Julie would be suffering along with him and she hadn't done one single thing to cause it. His chest clenched, a new low had been reached. Cheating wasn't something new but this time what he would lose would be too much. _

_His head ached but the feeling in his chest was worse. And yet the worst was still to come._

_He looked for his clothes so he could get the hell out of there. They weren't anywhere. He was stuck. It was purgatory. Hanging in the balance, his life couldn't change course until he escaped from the confines of these four walls. Telling Julie was bad enough but having a face to face with the nameless girl with whom he'd ruined his relationship with was too much. Enough! Time to escape. He shook out the sheet, momentarily enjoying the breeze rush past his thighs. What could he make out of it? A toga? That would make it difficult to jump out of the window. A loin cloth it would have to be. Tim sighed as he started manoeuvring the sheet around his nether regions trying to dismiss the similarities between his escape attire and a diaper. _

_What was his pride worth at the moment anyway?_

(o) (o) (o)

It had been months since that night on the couch and Tim had found himself becoming the 'go-to man' for Gracie babysitting. It was nice that the Taylor's felt that they could trust him, rely on him with their trusted baby daughter. Of course this feeling of warmth from their generosity to him was coupled with the distaste that Julie was going out ... a lot.

She was sauntering around the high school with no guy in particular. That should have been a relief but the fact that there was always a guy floating around her, trying to get his presence acknowledged was something that was grating on his nerves. To her credit she didn't show favouritism or even partiality towards any of them with the exception of Matt. His nurse had fled the country, she was probably using the nurse thing as a cover for her drug running escapades, or so Landry had joked. Julie had kept her distance for a few months until making the first move.

"I miss him," she had stated plainly when Tim quizzed with a raised eyebrow her Matt-eye-stalking.

"Talk to Lois more," had been his response. She had made a humph-ing sound, murmured things that sounded vaguely insulting and turned her full attention to him.

"Have you ever spoken to Lois?"

"Unfortunately," he smirked.

"Then you understand?" He had to chuckle, she had sass. Her head turned to where Matt was sitting, a shadow passing over her face. "I miss talking to him, I miss studying with him, I even miss having to attend Landry's gigs with him." She rolled her eyes, clearly not enjoying the opportunity to share.

"You had to suffer through that too?" He commented. That night had been some of the worst songs he'd ever suffered through. Julie snorted and thumped him on the arm. He noticed that some of the students surrounding them were watching them out of the corners of their eyes.

"But I screwed up with him and once the trust is gone, it's gone." Julie sighed and turned her concentration towards the gelatinous mass of food from the cafeteria. "I just wish we could be friends."

"Like you and me?"

"Sure," she conceded. "Like me and you." She nudged him with her shoulder and raised the courage to imbibe the unappetising food. It should make me feel appreciated, it should make him feel good but instead it just made him feel like he forced a compliment out of her. He had. Now he just felt guilty and a little uncomfortable about the ever present ties to her ex.

"Now scoot," she ordered, hustling him away. She inclined her head to the side, he knew what she was trying to tell him. Their relationship was an oddity to the student body and she wanted him to stop drawing attention to her. As he rose, he sighed. He almost wished for a repeat of the intimacy of couch night where she felt comfortable to be in his presence. No matter how uncomfortable it made him. Then again she'd been giving back as good as she'd been getting a minute before. It wasn't being with him, it was being seen with him that was stressing her out. Attention receiving or not, she didn't want to be seen with him. It hurt. A little. Not much at all.

As he walked away he pushed away the thought that that might mean something. But he didn't want her, did he?

(o) (o) (o)

A few months later the babysitting jobs saw him frequenting the Taylors more often. Not because of babysitting duty, Julie had started picking up the slack there, but simple invites to dinner. They came more often. He really was part of the family, part-time at least. He'd had plenty of time to consider why he was touchy when it came to Julie. Why he'd threaten wimpy looking sophomores with facial reconstruction for trying to snatch her hand or irrationally disliking Saracen when the guy hadn't done anything but be her friend. He was plenty touchy, hair-trigger touchy.

He didn't want anyone near her. That wasn't true, he didn't want anyone of the male species anywhere near her. Once he'd accepted that, it wasn't much of a stretch to realise that he liked her. That he wanted to be the one she felt free to talk with in the cafeteria longer than five minutes. That he wanted to have the right to tell a guy to back the hell off, rather than trying to be innocuous about it. That she felt something like he felt for her - that pull between them or the need to find her in a crowded room. He needed to know that this wasn't him wanting her. That this ownership, this protectiveness could be explained away. It hadn't taken much to realise that his initial brotherly feelings of affection had mutated into something distinctly removed from something a sibling would feel.

It scared him. The first girl he'd gotten to know on a personal level, with whom he actually enjoyed talking with, had started engendering such feelings from him. It hadn't started out that way. When they were living in the same house, it'd been platonic. Like the little sister he had never had or wanted and he had ended up liking it. Now things were changing. Had already changed. Resistance was futile. He'd been stewing on it for almost a year. Watching her interact with a number of douchy guys as they all had begun to see how great she was. Even worse were the guys that were after a quick score with a hot chick. They obviously had no idea who this girl was. They would end up with their balls detached.

He'd run defence. Offense wasn't going to work because he wasn't ready to acknowledge that even though he liked her it might not be enough. Just like he had seen her as a little sister, she viewed him as a big brother. The trust, the familiarity in which she treated him wasn't flirting like with other girls. That was Julie treating him like family. So instead of making a move, of which he'd never been afraid of before, he'd scared off the guys he thought she might not be able to handle. At some point he'd begun scaring off most of them, threatening or not. He might not be able to control her or his feelings for her but he could get the guys of Dillon High to keep a wide berth.

As such Julie was home more. Which meant he was over less in a babysitting capacity and more as an informal member of the family. He got to be near her, talk to her, be on the receiving end of a punch (or two or three) and he loved it. He liked her for the way she made him feel – valued, comfortable and ultimately himself. So many people had tried to change him, wanted him to be better but Jules just wanted Tim to be Tim. It was a nice feeling. Acceptance. Jules liked him anyway, warts (not of the STD kind) and all.

The feelings he had learnt to deal with over the months but the anatomical implications were another thing. She smelled good. Not like that cheap, fragrance spray many girls used or even the heavy perfume others dabbled in. Julie smelled like soap. Fresh, clean and simple. It drove him wild. When he was speaking with her, he found himself leaning forward to an unnatural amount just trying to breathe it in.

She looked different too. More grown up. There was less frippery. It was like she had pared down her closet, makeup and jewellery when she realised that she was great without it. And she did too, she wasn't trying too hard like most of her classmates. She was comfortable in herself and he found it extremely appealing. Julie has definitely moved on from her douche bag stage, her re-attachment to Matt was evidence of that. Tim couldn't figure out though it that was a good or bad thing. She wasn't hanging with the dodgy types anymore which was a relief but then most people would consider him a dodgy type.

She was beautiful. Her long blonde hair fell across her shoulders gracefully; she walked with an engaging walk that swayed her entire body in a delectable way that drew people's eyes to her hips. She was built too, curvy in all the right places. But she shone, light poured out her like there was too much to be contained within her. Her snorting laugh a complete contrast to the brightness that encompassed her.

And there were other things too. Like when he would intercept a shy smile between Matt and Julie, he would find his blood boiling and his fists clenching. It was like a battle he'd already lost. They had been together and would probably be again. They were the happily ever after kind, reincarnation of Eric and Tami Taylor. Something he couldn't even hope to be, or have. Why put himself on the line when a knock back would be all he received in return? Better to squash it down, man up and move on.

(o) (o) (o)

There he was again, his body pushing into the padded fabric of the Taylor's couch. Coach had rung him for some help. Tami and he needed to attend some special something or rather in Dallas and were leaving Gracie with Julie for the weekend. Shelley couldn't make it but Julie had stressed that at seventeen she could look after her own sister. They had apparently relented but there was a condition, he'd been it. What in the hell were they thinking?

"...and I am trusting you to look after my girls." Coach finished up his little instructional talk from his position immediately before Tim. Seated on the couch as he was, the Coach resembled a huge immovable statue. Apparently the couple had decided that Tim would be helpful so Julie wouldn't get overwhelmed and he could protect them if necessary.

"Yes, sir." Tim replied, neck completely reclined to give eye contact. The look in his eye was enough to convince the Coach who stiffly nodded once.

"Now, Julie isn't too happy that we insisted you be here. Ignore her fussing and help her out when necessary."

"Yes, sir." She didn't want him here? Great.

"Good." The Coach held out his hand and Tim shook it. The man's grip was like a vice but he recognised it as the approval it was. "Tami, let's hit the road hun," he bellowed. Tami quickly fluttered by, waggling her fingers to Tim and giggling as they shuffled through the front door. Tim felt the energy seep out of the room as the car engine started and rumbled away.

"Thank god they are gone!" Tim turned to see Julie leaning against the door frame, her sister hitched on her hip. Gracie had grown out of the ungainly, alien phase with age and now at two she was a person all of her own. She spotted him and spread her arms open. He stood and moved over to the sisters.

"'im, 'im," she called. She couldn't quite get the 't' sound yet but he didn't care. Julie sighed and moved closer to Tim to finish the baby transaction. Julie hefted her into his arms. The weight surprised him.

"Wow she's grown heaps," he said focusing on the sister he didn't have more-than-sibling feelings for.

"Yep, she's a chubber alright."

Tim frowned at Julie "Oh give it a rest Dr Phil, I was kidding. She's just right for her age." They both moved toward the couch and sat down next to one another. Tim arranged Gracie so she was on his knees. She didn't like that much, swiftly swivelling around and grabbing chunks of his hair. Julie looked on with amusement.

"Is there any girl that's not fascinated with your tresses?" she joked.

"One," she looked at him questioningly, not understanding.

She giggled "yeah Mom doesn't seem all that interested." She nudged him with her elbow and leaned forward to grab the remote. He sighed. The baby reached up and seemingly tried to smooth the worry visible on his forehead. His heart melted a little, he loved his Gracie Belle. He smiled at her and she laughed and leaned forward bestowing upon him a big, mushy kiss on his chin. The saliva she left behind sitting firmly upon it. Julie dissolved into laughter, holding her stomach and released one snort that could not be leashed.

"Why is it that all girls are like that with you?" she asked, eyes twinkling. "What is your secret?" she whispered looking around for non-existent eavesdroppers. A conspiring smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, she moved in close to hear his answer.

"What's yours?" he asked. Her forehead crinkled as she failed to understand what he was saying. "Why aren't you susceptible?" Her face blanked and she moved back to her original place on the couch, demurely placing her hands in her lap as her sister snuggled into his chest. Her gaze kept interchanging from his face to other various spots in the room and she looked decidedly flustered.

She straightened up and determinedly looked him straight in the eye.

"Well I can't say I have never thought about it but we're buds you and me," she said grabbing Gracie as she stood. The baby looked at Tim disappointed that she didn't have the chance to kiss him some more. "And you don't think of me that way..." Julie started from the hallway, her sister grabbing a handful of her hair. What did that mean? He didn't think of her that way? Did that mean she did think of him that way but thought he didn't? What the hell?

"Jules." He said quietly. She stopped walking but didn't turn around. Did that mean she couldn't face him? Was she angry? Or upset? Or embarrassed?

He moved up to her so he was standing behind her. The only eye contact he received was from the baby.

"Why wouldn't I think about you that way...."

**Author's Note**

Big thanks to the lovely A9 for encouraging me to hurry up and write. I loving her story (To Make You Feel My Love) and reading other's work is the best incentive. Also would like to thank southern cross as I am loving her Awake and Dreaming and it made me want to write.


	4. Chapter 4

**Quicksand – Chapter 4**

"Why wouldn't I think about you that way...."

She hadn't moved. Her back was still, her hair swishing to an eventual stand still. He wasn't sure but he thought he'd heard her gulp. How does one interpret a gulp? Can it even be translated? Gracie was reaching over her shoulder, clapping her hands as if congratulating him.

Why the hell did he say that? He sounded like the sleazoid most people assumed that he was. This was the way he'd chosen to make his play for her? With a sentence reminiscent of his most pathetic pick up lines?

"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that." The guilt he felt rushed through every syllable and unfortunately up to his face in the form of a flush. He'd overstepped the bounds of their relationship. The security of their lives prior that sentence, protected by his duty to the Taylor's and his confidence that she deserved better, gone.

She turned around slowly, an eyebrow raised quizzically.

"Why shouldn't you? It wasn't an effort to be coy or leading but genuine curiosity.

What should he do? He could come clean and revel in the possibility of her requiting just a fraction of what he felt for her. Or face outright rejection? Or deny, using his well known reputation as a fallback. If it has legs, then he'd be willing to have a go after all. Wasn't that the running joke?

His silence was interrupted by the heavy thumping of his heart in his chest. Jules still stood there examining his face trying to figure out what he meant. She wouldn't get very far, he was well trained in keeping his face impassive. He would make sure that she wouldn't know what he had meant until he figured out what his best option was. His head was buzzing with possibilities.

"I uh was just teasing..." he trailed off.

She looked at him sceptically. "Pity," she said quietly with a disappointed smile on her face, turning around and walking to Gracie's room.

Tim was utterly confused by her reply. Maybe he did stand a chance? Maybe he had been downplaying his attractiveness to her or maybe she was playing him. Either way it was too much thinking for one evening. He still had an entire weekend to spend in the Taylor girls presence and he would like to keep some reminent of sanity.

Julie came out into the hall to find Tim, shoulder against the wall, in deep thought. She siddled up to him, pressing her back against the wall and slid down until she was seated. She stretched her legs out until they touched the other wall of the hallway, sighing with the relief of someone who's spent considerable time getting a toddler to sleep. Tim looked down upon her blonde tresses still unclear as to what he should do versus what he wanted to do.

"Tim?" her voice interrupted his thoughts, she had turned her face to look up at him, her expression unscrutable.

"Yeah?" She gestured with her hand for him to join her on the floor. He slid down the wall and bent his knees and rested his arms upon them. They were both facing the opposite wall, aware of one another's presence but seeing no need to gaze upon the other.

He felt as calm, quiet and relaxed as he could in this position. He liked that he could be sitting in a hallway, not looking at her, barely speaking and yet comfortable. She didn't say anything, just remained, still choosing not to tarnish the silence with her voice. Tim preferred it, the more that was said the stupider he sounded.

He concentrated on what he could hear. Gracie was fast asleep and not even burbling as per usual. He could hear the deep breaths of both himself and the quieter ones of Jules. He zeroed in on the sound of her breaths and realised that he had unconsciously changed his own breathing to make hers.

"Why are you scaring off guys interested in me?" She had to ruin the moment, didn't she? "You're not my big brother." She said it in a complete matter of fact way, she needed the answer he could provide.

He snorted. "I _know_ that. Believe me, I know that." He turned to face her and she was fixing him with that inquisitive look of hers.

"It took me awhile to figure it out but I caught on. And then you flirt with me tonight... like I'm not Julie Taylor. You have to help me out here, what is going on in that greasy head of yours?" Jules lifted her hand, made a fist and rapped on Tim's head like he was a particularly heavy door. It would have hurt a little had he not been surprised.

He shrugged. She grunted in frustration, the freckles on her nose wrinkling at she visibly showed her dismay.

"I love that you feel you need to look after me, it's nice that you care enough to do that. But you aren't my big brother, you're my friend. So back off the guys, okay?" He nodded, there was nothing he could say. He swallowed awkwardly, he couldn't remember a time where he had felt this discombobulated before.

"And the comments, you know this evening, '_why wouldn't I think of you that way...._' she mimicked jokingly. "Funny and all, but c'mon. You gotta give me something more than that to practise my sass!" She nudged him with her body and he felt his body respond to her warmth.

She raised her arm around his neck and pulled his side into her own. He kept looking forward at the blank and uninteresting wall, forcing himself not to look at her. He felt her breath on his cheek, she was looking at him intently and at close range too.

"You're one of my best friends. You look after me. You make me laugh. But you can't try and blur the line for a joke. Once that line is blurred we can't get back here. I like it here." He still didn't look at her. She thought he'd been pulling her leg with a suggestive line. It would be easy to retain the status quo but with her so close, it was hard to think of why he should restrain himself. He turned his face to the left and found that their faces were separated by mere inches.

"Fuck it." He leaned in and took her bottom lip between his own. She gasped in surprise but he didn't back away.

Tim ran his tongue along the lip. Testing. Tasting. His hand rose to cradle her head. She tasted like coffee. Welcoming, warm and oh so right. Her lips were soft and pillowy. She wasn't responding. She was holding her breath. He drew away to see if he had completely ruined 'here'. A pit was building in his stomach, full of black holes and butterflies, dread swirling within him. He didn't move his hand, he could command it to move even if he tried, it belonged there. His thumb and forefinger framing her ear, the remaining fingers cradling the side of her skull and its base. Her hair was silky smooth, her skin warm to the touch.

She looked at him with wide eyes. She didn't shake his hand away but she wasn't leaning into him either. Her pupils were moving rapidly as she took in his face. A huge breath was released as she let the air she'd held go.

"Th-that wasn't a joke," she whispered uncertainly.

"No."

"You weren't kidding before?" It pained him to hear her so unsure of her own allure. "You think of me _that_ way?" the shock was present in each syllable.

"What? The kiss didn't convince you?" he tried to sound poised, cocky even, but he too had taken an confidence hit when it came to her.

He withdrew his hand slowly, allowing strands of her hair to trickle through his fingers. Hell, he'd tried. That was more than he did for most situations. There would be no regrets and hopefully no furious Coach. More than anything he was shocked that she hadn't even considered that he may be interested in her.

"So...?" he asked waiting for some indication that his leap of lust fuelled faith hadn't wrecked something he held dear, Jules' friendship.

She took a deep breath-

"Well...."


	5. Chapter 5

**Quicksand – Chapter 5**

"Well...." Julie gulped, red streaking across her face like a crimson shadow. This was not good. This was her trying to find the words to let him down easy. How could he respond? Something about trying the goods? No, then she would never speak to him again...ever. Tim sighed, it was worth the risk, hadn't it been?

"...like I said I have thought about it..." she trailed off and Tim looked at her incredulously. Her facial expression changed from one of embarrassment to shock. "...I wasn't lying before Tim. But I just thought we've got a good thing going here." She gestured between him and her, he knew what was coming. He'd given the speech once or twice when a brush off hadn't sufficed. The 'just friends' speech was universal and he had never really thought about how painful it was to have it delivered to you before.

He put his hand up, time to stop it now. He would appeal to her better nature.

"Let's chalk it up as a mistake. I stepped over the line and we can pretend it never happened. Sorry Jules, my bad." Her forehead wrinkled in confusion as she took in the words he had delivered in the most casual way possible.

"Well, that's just crap."

"What?" Trust her to not smooth the situation over but then again he was the one who had swirled it up.

"I'd already warned you that it would change things and you did it anyway. You care about me..." he lowered his gaze "...so for you to do it anyway means you really wanted to."

This straight talking stuff was completely overrated.

"And me, you tossed out those lines and I couldn't help but give it back. This isn't all on you, Tim."

"Okay." He knew it was his fault, she was being nice. She hadn't ever responded to the kiss at all. He'd lost his touch. He stood, wanting desperately to get away so he could recollect, find a way to cushion himself.

He couldn't look at her so he didn't. He looked anywhere but at her but as he was rising she caught his eye. Before he knew it two hands were on his chest and pushing him back down to the floor, the cool wall at his back.

Julie pinned him to the floor with her body, her legs straddling his thighs, her arms pinioned to either side of his head and her face poised less than an inch away from his own.

Nothing was said. He didn't try to move, he liked the warmth and weight of her. He could see that her proximity was very shortly going to make it uncomfortable for him and embarrassing for her but he didn't care. Time for him to grow some balls. He looked straight into her eyes, his expression set. No smirk, no puppy dog eyes just plain old Tim.

Julie was breathing a little harder but then she'd just pushed a fullback to his ass. She was looking back at him, her eyes searching his for something and then suddenly a twinkle started to glitter in her eyes and the corner of her mouth turned up.

"I think you like me, Tim Riggins." She whispered teasingly. He opened his mouth to deny it, when she pressed her lips against his own. It wasn't a kiss with finesse, the kiss he'd planted on her before was all finesse. This was a little amateurish and short. Closed mouth too. She drew back, a serious expression again on her face. Her butt reversed from its place at his thighs to back on his knees, her arms withdrew too. He missed her presence immediately. He was a freaking sap.

"And I think you've been trying to tell me for awhile." Tim snorted, that was absolute crap. Julie rolled her eyes and started counting off her fingers – "Scaring off boys, giving Matt the evil eye, studying with me, babysitting Gracie, kissing me and playing with my feet. Tim, you played with my freaking feet! Feet are gross." Maybe he had been telling her... While he'd been stressing out about his feelings and her ambivalence to him, he'd been flashing a neon light '_Hey I am into Jules Taylor'_ to everyone and sundry.

"Yours aren't." He murmured, moving a little to try and relieve himself of her. She didn't budge.

A hand pressed itself on his chest.

"You aren't going anywhere, buddy." He beat down the panic in his belly. This was way too close for comfort; he needed some physical and emotional space.

"Jules..." he looked at her beseechingly. She raised an eyebrow at his cowardice and swung her hands to her hips.

"Nope, we're going to get this out, now." His mind went to the worst possible interpretation of those words. Jules read his thoughts accurately and swatted him.

"You cretin."

"If I am a cretin then why are you the one trapping me here?" He immediately recognised the ridiculousness of his words, grabbed her around her upper arms and lifted her as he rose. They stood facing one another, his hands still wrapped around her arms and she wasn't happy. Her hands went back to her hips. Here came the lecture. At least she wasn't sitting on his lap anymore.

"You're scared." Her finger was roughly jutting into his breast bone.

"Whatever, Jules."

"You're scared of little old me." she said with glee.

"Get over yourself, Jules."

"Then what are you scared of...?" she asked. He couldn't answer but he badly wanted out of the hallway.

"Enough, Jules." He wanted her to stop needling him. She always did this, took him out of his comfort zone. He didn't want to think about what would happen if she might return his feelings. He'd taken the chance in the moment he'd kissed her but hadn't thought of what would follow. He could lose her, her family, everything.

She stilled. She raised her arms so they were resting loosely on his shoulders. He wanted to flee but he wanted to know what she would do next. She had kissed him; she was the one initiating all of the touching.

"Do you want to kiss me, Tim?" So many girls would have asked that in a saucy manner, she didn't. It was plainly stated, curiosity and a little bit of fear in her eyes. She was scared too. "I want you to."

That sealed the deal.

He rushed into the space between them, gathered her up against his chest and paused. The question was in his eyes, he needed to really know that this is what she wanted because everything would change. She nodded softly against the hands that spanned both of her cheeks and locked gazes with him.

This was the defining moment. He could feel it buzzed under his skin like bees desperately seeking nectar. She could feel it too, her eyes told him so.

He leaned in and mimicked her early kiss, pressing his gently against her own. Her pillowy lips, malleable and welcoming. It was like they were in freeze frame, everything timed slow, deliberate and restrained. They were both holding back, maybe she was as nervous as he.

Jules breath shuddered and he knew she was equally terrified. It was overwhelming.

Her breath calmed and she changed the pace of the kiss, holding his head within her hands and his made the slow, deductive trail down her shoulder blades and back. It was like a flip switched, she wanted more. He wasn't arguing. He spun and sandwiched her body between his and the wall. She giggled.

His lips were feast ing upon her own and she tasted good, pure and all things right with the world. She groaned into his mouth. The sound punched him in the gut, it was that powerful. It hadn't been like this with the other girls. She nipped his bottom lip between her teeth and he gasped. Who knew that this little blond miss would have such an effect on him?

(0) (0) (0)

_The makeshift toga slash diaper wouldn't stay put around his hips. He needed to make a break for it now. He swiftly tied it with all the force he could muster and pressed his ear against the door. He could hear extremely soft murmuring but nothing that could help him distinguish them as someone he knew...or worse didn't know._

_The window was it. He tiptoed over to the sill, so as not to make his alertness known, and pulled. The window didn't shift, he needed more force. He braced his legs firmly, bent his knees and lifted with all of his might. Nothing._

_Was it locked?_

_Dumbass. Standing on the tips of his toes he saw that there was a sliding lock out of his eye line and slide it open. He resumed his previous stance and lifted. It groaned softly and moved ever so slightly. He would have to really yank it._

_How the hell did he get himself in these situations?_

_Tim bent his overheated and sweaty forehead against the pane of glass and swore. He'd have to yank, jump and run in one motion so as not to get caught making his escape. And with a hangover too._

_Fairly freaking impossible._


	6. Chapter 6

_It's been almost a year...I am more surprised than you are that there's a new chapter._

________

After that kiss, the one that affected him more than he'd let anyone know, Julie and he were a couple. He was a boyfriend, he shook his head at the unlikely thought. For several months they'd been together and everything had been going pretty well. Coach and Tami were reluctant at first, the only thing winning them over was their faith in Tim and the knowledge that he was better than an unknown alternative. He refused to let them down, to do so would kill him. He knew they trusted him but the Taylors also knew his history, they chose to believe the best of him. He counted his blessings everyday that their kindness was frequently bestowed upon him.

Of course it wasn't hard for them to see that he was pretty enamoured with Jules. He might not carry her books to class, agree with her every word or gaze at her adoringly but there were a few out of the ordinary indicators that flashed his interest in her. He hadn't even realised that he telegraphed his like of her that way until the teammates started point it out.

It shocked him.

Deep in his gut, it shocked him. It had taken all his self control not to let them see that their observations affected him. It also worried him. Anyone he cared about left. Whether his mom, his dad or even Street. Sure Street had left for Erin and Noah and there were no hard feelings but he left all the same. Billy was all he had. That wasn't true, he had the Taylors but like it or not, he wasn't blood.

The guys laughed and carried on as they pointed out all the things that showed that he was whipped by Julie Taylor.

For one, there was his tendency to wink at her...a lot. He groaned as they all presented their exaggerated versions of his wink. An occasional flutter of his eyelashes might not grab that much attention but apparently he did it all the time. The more they went on, the more he realised that they were right. He'd wink to emphasis a point. He'd wink to save himself having to say something saucy. He'd wink to share a laughable moment. Jules always chuckled when she spotted it, sometimes dismissively, sometime uncomfortably and sometimes outright mirth. That's why he did it. Her laughter made the world seem right. It made them seem right _together_. They might be viewed by the rest of the world as polar opposites but they shared the same sense of humour. Of course there was the exception of his off-colour jokes but then she'd punch him.

And that brought them to their second piece of Riggins-whipped evidence - Julie and her penchant for physical violence upon Tim. It wasn't the norm. The rally girls hadn't used it as a come hither technique, neither had any other girl in Dillon. Tyra might have but she chose to sleep with other guys if she wanted to lash out. It came swiftly to Riggins' attention that the students at Dillon High were now used to seeing Julie hit him. It wasn't like she was a perpetrator of domestic violence. He could defend himself and while she packed a punch it was never to hurt him. There was the joking punches, the 'oh my god I can't believe you said that' punch, the punch that broke the sexual tension building between them and everything in between. It wasn't Julie with her swinging fists that grabbed their attention though, it was Tim.

The realisation made him groan again. This relationship was drawing way too much attention to him. Before her no one would dare throw a punch at Tim. Not unless they were expecting one in return. Girls hadn't tried it because it wouldn't have worked. Tim was inherently lazy and had a girl punched him, even in jest, he would no longer bother with her. It was this that separated Julie from the chaff. He actually could be bothered with her. He sighed, his team mates joking all around him. He would laugh but too much of the information was swirling in his brain.

Training had been hard but their joking around at his expense was harder. They stopped, some heading off to the showers, some getting down to the business of getting the hell out of the locker rooms. It didn't matter, as long as they were out of his face. He noticed Seven watching him covertly and realised that this whole situation was weird for them both. Matt nodded at Rigs as he walked out.

Julie had been the same person with each of them but there were distinctly different behaviours with each of the boys. With Matt there had been hand holding, long deep and meaningful conversations, studying and hugs. With Tim there were vehement differences of opinion, winks, punches and very little conversation. He realised that when you compared the two, there was an obvious discrepancy between Seven and himself.

Tim had seen Julie with Matt. They'd been smitten with one another and completely entranced with each other, wrapped up in their own world. He used to think they could communicate with matching gazes alone. They were in sync.

Tim and Julie were a different matter. In fact she wasn't even Julie, she was Jules. She was much more laid back as if replicating his approach to life. She would often get heated when he didn't agree with her but mostly their relationship was even keeled. He felt peaceful around her, even if she was voicing her disapproval of his latest stunt. She cared, she cared so much it burbled out. It was difficult to contain himself, his attraction to her was an ongoing issue. He needed to batten down his need to take her within himself. It made life more interesting though he continued to avoid public kissing and hugging. Their affairs weren't anyone's business. He was also concerned that if he had his hands on her at school, he wouldn't be allowed to let go. The last thing he needed the Taylors to hear about was Jules and he mauling one another in the hallway. That being said, they did find places to do so, where they couldn't get caught.

If he was touching Jules, it was full pelt. There was no half way. There was no handholding or pecks on the cheeks. There were no entwined arms, quick cuddles or tucking hair behind ears. They burned at a higher degree that she and Matt had. There was something primal about them. Of course there was a physical side to their relationship , but only out of the prying eyes of the public.

At the Riggins house, they didn't sit next to one another on the couch when watching TV. Instead Tim would haul Jules into the side of his body so you wouldn't know where one ended and the other began. Or she'd plonk herself on his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her, his chin resting on her shoulder. If they were hugging it was usually about proximity, wandering hands and one of them squished against a surface. He'd kissed a lot of girls and she'd been tentative and somewhat clumsy when they'd first hooked up. He supposed she and Matt had been each other's firsts and that sweetness hadn't necessarily translated into prowess.

It worried him, their disparate experience levels though she'd caught up remarkably. Tim was always holding himself back, not wanting to push her too much. He was protective of her, even if it meant protecting her from him. Jules was always pushing, even shoving him. She wanted more and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that. He wanted to jump her bones something chronic but he knew it meant more for her. She wanted him just as much but it would signify something else for her, a unification that would take them to a place he wasn't sure he wanted to go. He liked Jules, he liked her a whole lot. He also respected her. Sleeping with her would be almost akin to professing her love for him. It unsettled him so much that he had found himself avoiding situations that could lead to him guarding his loins.

But staying where they were wasn't an option. Stasis would mean the longest and worst case of blue balls in the history of the known world.

"Rigs...you coming tonight?" one of the younger players called out as he shoved items from his locker into his gym bag. Tim looked around and noticed that everyone had cleared out as he'd deliberated his relationship with Julie. He was becoming a girl.

"Where to?" He wasn't all that interested but maybe he needed some time away from Jules to think clearly. Or just get his drink on. Either sounded good.

The freshman started beaming under the attention Tim was sending his way. He realised that he didn't even know the guy's name. He shook his head, thank goodness for the numbers on their guernseys.

"Doug's having a party. His parents have gone to Austin for the weekend. There'll be heaps of beer." The poor kid was way too eager.

Tim scrunched his nose up. A night with the team and beer. Hmmm.

"And tequila....lots of it." The kid's head was bopping up and down like a bobble head.

Tequila, ahh that cruel mistress. Sounded good, really good. "Count me in, Fifteen. See you there." The kid beamed and stood still as if to take in the moment when Tim Riggins acknowledged his existence. Sounded like a night of stunted thinking was ahead of him...excellent.

He walked out of the locker room not bothering to say goodbye to Coach. He wasn't a kiss ass. He slowed his walk down realising that the object of all his girly thoughts was probably waiting for her dad outside. Not having a shower might work for him here.

True to form, there was his girlfriend sitting on the hood of her father's ride. Coach would kill her if he caught her doing it and her watchful eyes showed that her casual draping over the hood was all for show. If Coach came out she'd be up and off before he could say Green Bay Packers.

"Hey." Her lips moved into a small smile as he approached the car.

"Hey."

He didn't know what else to say. Her legs were spread out before him, long and lithe and strong. He didn't want to think about how he knew how strong they were.

"Wanna come up?" she patted the space beside her.

"Do I look like I have a death wish?" he drawled. She giggled, pushing herself off the car and dropping next to him. She was standing three inches away, her mouth tempting him. He reluctantly took a step back.

"I didn't shower." Her nose wrinkled and she accepted his excuse on face value.

"You coming over tonight?" She was watching him with growing intensity. He could see it in her eyes, she knew something was up.

"Nah, I think I'll hit up Doug's party. Team thing, you know?" She snorted at the notion that it was a team only party, the rally girls and other girls would be there.

"Is that your way of telling me that you don't want me to go?" Most girls would have looked hurt but she knew he was independent. She knew he needed some space. She was dying of curiosity but she was sucking it up. If he'd been Matt, she'd be up in his face. It was just another way they were learning to co-exist.

"It's a team thing." She nodded, her lips squishing together as if she'd tasted something horrible and was resisting the need to throw it up. He saw her regroup, feeling bad for making her stress.

"Okay. I'll catch you tomorrow then. Okay?" she leaned into him, a hand upon his chest and her lips settling against his. The temptation to haul her against him was overwhelming and just as he was about to give in she pushed off him. She stood there, head inclined to the left, regarding him silently. It was almost as if he could hear the ticking of her brain. She might not be asking questions but they were ticking over in her brain.

Then she smiled so brightly that the breath whooshed out of his lungs.

"Well you are missing out on some alone time in the Taylor house. Oh well." He gulped. Stay strong, Tim.

"Where are you parents going?"

"Some gala thing at the hospital."

"Oh."

"Oh indeed." Her interest moved from his face to a point over his shoulder. Her father was coming. "You miss out. "

"Indeed I do," he smirked. She knew what she was doing, she was always three steps ahead. "Tomorrow?"

"Yep. Have fun." She waved in a dorky manner and hopped in the car as her father's stared at her from the driver's seat. Coach tipped his cap at Tim, started the motor and reversed out of the park.

Tim breathed a deep sigh. He hoped this party was a good idea....distance and drinking. A cocktail of Julie-thinking-free time sorely needed.

*****

_Tim hitched the sheet up around his hips, balanced at the window and went for it. The paint on the window frame splintered as he shoved it up with great strength. His swung his feet over the sill and landed softly on the flower bed beneath. A few daisies were squished beneath his bare feet._

_He looked over his shoulder momentarily and noted that the bedroom door hadn't opened. He breathed a sigh of relief and rushed forward, eager to escape the reminder of his betrayal of Julie, except something caught as his weight moved forward. His whole body stopped short. In that moment he realised the sheet had caught on something pulling him back hard and propelling him to the ground with a loud thump._

_He heard footsteps rushing through the house and knew the jig was up. He could hear the bedroom door open. He looked around him, there was no way he could run away in time. A figure moved quickly to the window, as the sun fell upon that space Tim's mouth fell open._

_What the ...?_


End file.
